Heavy rain causes flooding, damage

After a week of multiple heavy downpours seemingly every day, dry weather's a distant memory.

Rain and storms canceled Fourth of July events this week, as well as downing trees and power lines throughout the county. Parts of the county lost power for short periods of time the past several days. And many yards, roads and waterways have flooded.

Downed trees

During a heavy rainstorm Friday, a tree fell onto a vehicle off Marion Street in Shelby.

The tree’s branches and leaves covered the 2003 Ford Expedition.

“I went to close the window and I looked out and just saw it there,” said Malissa Spikes, a resident of the home that the car belonged to. “I just thought, ‘Oh my God there is a tree on top of the car.’”

No one was injured, and there was no damage to the nearby home, according to family at the scene.

On Thursday night, a tree fell at the entrance to Howington Street in Boiling Springs, damaging a brick fence and downing power lines, said nearby resident Cecil Faile.

“People were stranded inside the neighborhood and others couldn’t get in,” Faile said. “I was at the Whitewater Center and my wife called me around 7 p.m. saying I would need to get my galoshes and find another way in the neighborhood.”

The tree was cut up and moved by the Boiling Springs Volunteer Fire Department, and the road opened back up about midnight, Faile said.

How much rain?

Parts of the Lowe's home improvement store shopping center parking lot was flooded Friday. Officers closed the lot to drain the rainwater.

On the Fourth of July, the Shelby area picked up 1 to 2 inches of rain, said Harry Gerapetritis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. More heavy rain fell throughout the afternoon and evening Friday.

“We have had low pressure to our west and a Bermuda High to the east,” Gerapetritis said. “Between these two features, we have a persistent flow and the air mass is moist.”

Over the past week, Cleveland County has received four to five inches of rain, he said.

“The ground isn’t getting a chance to dry out. The concern is that streams are high and the ground is so wet that it makes it extremely easy for trees to fall,” he said. “The heavy rain is also enough to cause some flooding.”

The rain should move out by the middle of next week, Gerapetritis said.

“The intense rain has been shifting west, so we may not see quite as much of the widespread heavy showers next week,” he said. “Sunday may hold more showers, but the weather pattern should change by Monday."

Five-day forecast

Saturday: 82/69 -- afternoon and evening rain

Sunday: 84/71 --afternoon and evening rain

Monday: 84/70 -- morning and evening rain

Tuesday: 85/70 -- partly sunny

Wednesday: 85/70 -- partly sunny

Source: National Weather Service

Contributed to this report. Reach Jessica Pickens at jpickens@shelbystar.com and 704-669-3332. Follow on Twitter at @StarJPickens.